Photo Credit: Watch Work USA
1950s Omega Seamaster with Caliber 410 Movement
Buy It Now Price: $489 (price as of 2019; item no longer available)
Pros:
-This classic men’s 1950s Omega Seamaster watch features an immaculate silver dial, gold hour markers and radium-lume hands housed in a stainless steel, screw-back case.
-The origins of the celebrated Omega Seamaster date back to 1948. Before that time, most watches were incredibly sensitive to water exposure. Even accidentally dropping an ordinary 1940s watch into a full sink was often enough to flood the movement, permanently disabling the watch.
-The caliber 410 movement of this 1950s Omega Seamaster is inscribed with the serial number “12,683,017”, indicating that it was produced sometime during 1951.
-Omega, drawing inspiration from British WWII submarines, included a rubber O-ring in their groundbreaking water-resistant design for the new Seamaster wristwatch. Although the early versions were not waterproof dive watches as we understand them today, late 1940s and early 1950s Omega Seamaster wristwatches were still a quantum leap forward in terms of water resistance at the time.
-This 1950s Omega Seamaster is quadruple signed, which is a very desirable trait for horologists. The Omega logo or name is present on the dial, crown, case back and movement!
-This vintage Omega Seamaster sports a 17-jewel, manual-wind, caliber 410 movement with sub-seconds. Relatively little is known about the Omega caliber 410. Even the normally authoritative Dr. Roland Ranfft shows a photo of the related (but different) caliber 420 movement on the 410’s reference page. But it is important to note that Omega used the caliber 410 in solid karat gold cases, meaning that it was regarded as a fairly high-end movement for the time.
-Robust collector interest in older Omega Seamaster wristwatches, coupled with the fact that this particular example was just extensively serviced, make this 1950s Omega Seamaster an intriguing buy at only $489.
Cons:
-This vintage Seamaster has a refinished dial and a polished case. This is a distinct negative in a world where many hardcore watch collectors won’t touch an antique watch that isn’t completely original. However, a fully original early Omega Seamaster in stainless steel would cost close to $1,000. In addition, it would most likely be a safe queen that hardly ever sees the light of day. In contrast, some lucky vintage watch enthusiast can happily wear this iconic Omega everyday without the fear or guilt of ruining a pristine specimen.
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